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Johannesburg - AngloGold Ashanti's mining operations
remained at a standstill on Tuesday as an illegal strike continued, the company
said.
"We still have not received through the formal bargaining
process any formal demands," spokesperson Stewart Bailey said.
"The overall environment remains calm."
As the strike continued those operations struggling to
maintain a viable margin would be placed at risk, he said.
On Monday, CEO Mark Cutifani said it would not meet workers'
demands outside the formal bargaining structures, as Lonmin [JSE:LON] had.
Giving into the striking workers' demands would only lead to
job losses in future.
"I have no doubt that the implications for those
companies that have had to agree to increased wage demands will be job losses.
Absolutely... no doubt," he told reporters at the company's head office in
Johannesburg.
"We understand what a Lonmin decision would mean for us
as a business... It would mean job losses."
Samancor strike continues
Meanwhile an unprotected strike at Samancor was continuing
on Tuesday, the company said.
"The company can confirm the strike is still underway
and it is unprotected," spokesperson Sunel Pretorius said.
"Nothing has changed since yesterday."
On Monday, Samancor said its production had been affected.
"The company is currently engaging with its recognised
unions in order to resolve the situation and to get the employees back to
work," read a statement.
Workers wanted a monthly pay of R12 500 after deductions, a
R1 500 sleep-out allowance, and a R1 500 underground allowance.
Monday's wildcat strike followed the end of a sit-in protest
by about 400 workers at the mine on Friday.
Samancor said the sit-in had been organised by individuals
and not by a union. The company said current wage negotiations were finalised
with unions on Friday.
National Union of Mineworkers spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka
said the dispute, like many wildcat strikes hitting the mining sector, was the
result of a combination of factors and not necessarily due to a wage dispute.
He said many of those involved in the strikes were
unemployed or were "people involved in politics".
"So how can we then conclude that it is because people are unsatisfied with a signed wage deal?" Seshoka asked.
